Cu2O@C core/shell nanoparticle as an electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction

•The core/shell Cu2O@C nanoparticles were synthesized by photocatalytic method.•The Cu2O@C exhibited excellent OER efficiency.•The carbon shell served as a conducting media and a protective layer.•The OER activity was influenced by the thickness and compactness of carbon shell.

This study aims to develop an effective and inexpensive oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts for efficient water splitting. Cu2O nanoparticles coated with carbon (Cu2O@C) were successfully synthesized by photocatalytic method. As a novel non-noble-metal OER catalyst, the Cu2O@C exhibited excellent OER efficiency with an onset overpotential of 250 mV and a Tafel slope of 63 mV decade−1. This catalyst maintained its catalytic activity for at least 100 h and required only an overpotential of 330 mV to attain a current density 10 mA cm−2GEO. During OER catalysis, the carbon shell served as a conducting media to quicken the charge transfer and as a protective layer to enhance the phase stability and prevent the aggregation of Cu2O nanoparticles.

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